Ironer construction



July 28,1942. 1.. RINGER 2,291,059

IRONER CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 16, 1940 '3 Sheets-Sheet 1 F IGA.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY July-28, 1942- L..R|NGER IRONER CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 16, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l INVENTOR 1o F ATTORNEY July 28, 1942. L. RINGER IRONF R CONSTRUCTION .3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 16, 1940 INVENTOR f 32 411251,

ATTORNEY Patented July 28, 1942 2,291,059 IBONER CONSTRUCTION Luther Ringer,

Nineteen Hundred Corporation,

St. Joseph, MiClL, assignor to Binghamton,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January l6, 1940, Serial No. 314,032

14 Claims- This invention relates to improvements in the construction of ironing machines of the domestic or home laundry type. It has particular reference to the operating mechanism and control devices for causing or arresting the rotation of the ironer roll and for causing the desired movements of the ironer shoe toward and from the roll.

In domestic ironing machines, it is desirable to so construct the operating devices that after the motor, or other driving means, has been set in operation, a clutch may be operated to cause the motor to carry the heated shoe into engagement with the padded roller, the latter being normally, automatically rotated so long as the shoe is in engagement with it. When the shoe is moved away from the roller, the rotation of the latter is preferably stopped. Moreover, in order to permit the simple pressing of certain articles, it is desirable to provide a separate manual control of the roller so that it need not be rotated even when the shoe is brought against it.

A primary object of the present invention has been to provide simple, durable, light and inexpensive means for effectively controlling the roller and shoe in the desired manner. A further object has been to so construct the control devices that they may be operated with a minimum of effort.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the same which will now be given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical section through a housing which encloses and supports the principal operating devices of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the housing and associated parts with a cover plate removed to reveal the interior of the mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a detail view in section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail view in section along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, the eccentric member being shown in full, however, and a portion of the disk, not visible in this section, is indicated in broken lines.

Fig. 5 is a detail view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the parts in a difierent relation, and

Fig. 6 is a substantially horizontal section on an enlarged scale taken along the Fig. 2 through a portion of the housing. 7

Referring now to the drawings, the illustrative machine comprises a main support It], only a small portion of which is shown and which may be of any conventional construction, adapted to support the ironing mechanism-at a convenient level from the floor. On the top of the support l0, preferably adjacent one end, there is mounted a housing adapted to enclose and support the principal operating and control devices of the line 6-6 of machine. Suitable power means for operating the machine is preferably mounted on the support Ill beneath its table-like top. Such power means may be in the form of an electric motor l2 of appropriate size, having a pulley on its armature shaft connected by a belt IS with a pulley l4 secured to a worm shaft |5 journaled in suitable bearings in the housing H. A worm l6 formed on, or otherwise carried by, the shaft I5 is adapted to mesh with a worm wheel I1 carried by a journal hub l8 integral with, or otherwise secured to, a fixed shaft l9 supported in any convenient way by the housing II. On one face of the worm wheel l1 there is formed a series of clutch teeth 2|] adapted to be engaged by corresponding clutch teeth 2| carried by an axially slidable clutch member 22. This slidable clutch member has a sleeve or hub portion 23 which carries, or is formed into, a broad-toothed pinion 24. The latter meshes with a gear 25 secured to a shaft 26 journaled in a boss 21 on'the housing H. The shaft 26 carries a roller 28, which may suitably be of the conventional, padded type commonly employed in domestic ironing machines. It will be apparent that through the connections described, the roller 28 will be rotated whenever the clutch teeth 20 and 2| are engaged and the motor I2 is in operation.

A spring 29 is provided for urging the clutch member 22 axially to engage the teeth 2| with the teeth 20. The spring 29 acts at one end against a boss 30 of the housing and at its other end against a cupped disc 3| secured to a sleeve or bushing 32 within the sleeved portion 23 of the clutch member 22. Bushing 32 is slidably mounted on the shaft |9 while the clutch member 22, which is held between the disc 3| and a flange 33 at the opposite end of the bushing, is slidable with the latter and rotatable thereon. A lever 34 (Fig. 6) having one end mounted upon a headed stud or screw 35 held by a boss on the inside of the housing H and having an elongated opening adjacent its opposite end adapted to receive a guide pin 38 carried by another boss on the inside of the housing, is divided or branched intermediate its ends to surround the cup of the disc 3|. Outwardly projecting portions 3'! of the branched or divided part of the lever 34 are arranged to engage the radially extending portion of the disc 3|. A cam element 38, carried by a stud 39 extending through the front wall of the housing and having a knob 40 on its outer end, is adapted to engage and operate the lever 34. The operator of the machine may simply turn the knob 4|] through an angle of, say, or degrees and thus cause the cam element 38 to slide the forward end of the lever 3% along the pin 36 from the position indicated in Fig. 6 to one in which the lever will cause the complete disengagement of the clutch teeth 20, 2|. When the knob 40 is returned to the position indicated in I into the path of the arms 50 and 5| of the plate hold the parts in this position against the action of spring 29.

At the end of the hub of the worm wheel IT, on the opposite side from the clutch member 22, there is secured, in any convenient way, a notched clutch disc 4| Adjacent the same end of the worm wheel there is mounted, upon a reduced portion of the shaft l9, a bushing 42 which is within and secured to an eccentric member 43. The eccentric member may either be pressed or shrunk over the bushing or these parts may be otherwise secured for rotation in unison. In a groove 44a in the face of a projection, of. the

eccentric member 43, which is toward the worm wheel, there is slidably mounted a clutch element 45, A spring 45a within a recess in. the projection 44 bears against the surface of the element 45, as best shown in Fig. 3, and serves to frictionally retain the element in whatever position it may be. A shoulder 46 on the clutch slide 45 normally clears the outer periphery of the clutch disc 4|, into the plane of which the slide extends. A projection 47 on the slide is received by an opening 48 in a plate 49 rockably mounted on a concentric hub portion of the eccentric member 43, The plate 49 has apair of arms 59 and 5|, the latter of which is connected by a spring 52 with an arm 53 secured to the projection 44' of the eccentric member 43. The spring 52 serves to rock the plate 49 in a clockwise direction from the Fig. 4 position to the Fig. 5 position with respect to the eccentric member whenever a detent 54 is withdrawn. This detent is adapted to engage either of the arms 59 and 5|. As the plate 49 is swung from the Fig. 4 position to the Fig. 5 position, a cam surface 55 forming a wall of the opening 48 engages the projection 47 of the slide 45 and draws the latter radially inward to engage a portion of the slide with one of the notches in the clutch disc 4|. It will be apparent that the spring 52 will not be effective for this purpose until one of the notches is brought in line with the slide. Upon the opposite movement of the plate 49 relative to the eccentric member, a cam surface 56, formedat the periphery of the plate, is arranged to engage the shoulder 46, on the clutch slide and force the latter out of the engaged notch of the clutch disc 4|. The relation between the surfaces 55 and 55 and the cooperating portions of the slide 45 is such that a substantial portion of the swinging movement of the plate 49 is idle, i. e., there is, a delayed action. Thus, when the plate is released by the detent 54, the first part of the movement of the platewill be idle and the cam surface 55 will then become effective. So also on the reverse movementof the platethe first part of the movement is idle and the surface 56 then becomes efiective to. force. the. slideoutwardly.

This tends, to .mQVe the Slide just out of driving engagement with. the disc 4| and the highest part of any succeeding tooth drives theslide back still further until it is entirely free from the teeth,

thus preventing ratcheting. Th lea ance be.- tween the two cam surfaces 5. audit isfor the purpose of allowing this movement.

The. detent. 54. is. carried by an. arm. 5.1..secured to a stud 58. passing through. the. forward wall carry he shoe 49. However, when it is desired to cause a half revolution of the clutch member, the knob 59 is rotated, by the operator, through a small angle -sufficient to carry the detent 54 out of the path of the particular arm (50 or 5|) which happens to be engaged with it. This permits the spring 52 to act in the manner previously explained and causes engagement of the clutch slide with a notch in the disc 4|. After nearly a half revolution of the eccentric member, the opposite arm (59 or 5|) will engage the detent 54 and will arrest the plate 49 while the eccentric member continues to turn through a small additional angle. It is during this additional movement of the eccentric member, with the plate 49 held stationary, that the surface 56 of the plate serves to withdraw the clutch slide from the disc 4| and thus disables the drive of the eccentric member.

Around the eccentric portion of the member 43 there is provided an eccentric strap 6| which is bifurcated'at its lower end and arranged to receive between its branches one end of a lever or arm 62, pivotally connected with the strap by means of a pin 63. The lever 62 is secured to a shaft 64 which is suitably supported by the housing H and carries a shoe-supporting arm or frame 65 outside of the housing. This shoe-supporting frame carries, in a conventional way, a shoe 66'of well known construction and adapted to be heated electrically, or otherwise, and adapted to be shifted toward or away from the roller 28 upon the rocking of the shaft 64. The connection between the shoe and the supporting arm or frame 65 is preferably of the well known type permitting an emergency movement of the shoe away from the roller, independently of the operation of the shaft 64 by the simple engagement and rearward swinging of a control knob and stem 6 "I. The upper end of the eccentric strap is preferably recessed, as indicated at 68 in Fig. 1, to receive a spring 69 which acts at one end against a pin 10, extending across the recess, and at its opposite end against a disc or shoe having an arcuate, outer face which is thus pressed against the surface of the eccentric. The friction created in this way serves to retain the strap in a definite position on the eccentric against the action of the spring 52 which tends to rotate it and might cause the tooth 45 to become engaged with a notch in disc 4| The inner end of the bushing 42 which faces the worm wheel I! is provided with a cam surface 12 adapted to cooperate with the end of a slidable key member 13 fitted within a groove 14 formed in the upper surface of the shaft 9,

m and extending through the journal hub Hi. The

through from its position shown in Fig. 1, it

will shift the key member 13 toward the left (Fig. l) a suflicient distance to disengage the clutch teeth20 and 2|. This disengagement is brought about as the lever 62 and shaft 64 are rocked to away from the roller 28. When these parts are rocked in the opposite direction, to carry the. shoe against.- the roller, the cam surface 12 permits the key member 13 to be forced toward the right (Fig. 1) by the spring 29 and allows the clutch teeth 20 and 2| to become engaged. This is, of course, under the assumption that the knob 40 has not been turned to disable the clutch.

The operation of the ironer construction may be briefly summarized as follows: The electric motor |2 of the machine is energized, which causes the worm shaft to be continuously rotated. The worm shaft l5 in turn drives the worm gear With the elements in position as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the ironer roll 28 is being rotated from the worm gear through the clutch elements 20 and 2|, the broad tooth pinion 24 and the large gear 25. The eccentric member 43 is in its down position which in turn holds the lever arm 62 in its down position through the eccentric strap 6|. It will be remembered that when the lever arm 62 is in its down position as shown in Figure 2, the shoe 66 is held in tight pressing engagement against the roll 28.

Due to the fact that the arm 5| of the plate member 49 is in engagement with the detent 54 of the arm 51 the clutch slide 45 is held in a radially outwardly retracted position. The eccentric member 43 and the plate 49 are therefore in a stationary position although the clutch disc 4| is rotating with and as a part of the worm gear l'l.

When it is desired to stop the roll 28 and move the shoe 65 away from pressing engagement, the knob 59 is turned against the action of the biasing spring 50 to move the detent 54 out of engagement with the arm 5|. The spring 52 thereupon causes partial rotation of the plate member 49 which in turn causes the shoulder 46 of the clutch element 45 to be moved radially into the first slot of the clutch disc 4| which passes opposite it. This locks the eccentric member 43 to the clutch disc 4| and as a result thereof the eccentric member 43 is rotated by the worm gear II. This rotation continues until the arm 50 strikes the detent 54 and causes the shoulder 46 of the clutch element 45 to be moved out of engagement with the clutch disc 4|, at the time the eccentric member 43 has been moved 180 from its position as shown in Figure 2. This movement of the eccentric member 43 causes an upward movement of the eccentric strap 6| which lifts the lever arm 62 to lock the shoe 65 out of engagement with the roll.

The roll 28 may be stopped without retracting the shoe 66 from its pressing engagement therewith when the elements are in the position as shown in Figures 1 and 2 by turning knob 40. A partial rotation of knob 40 causes the cam member 38 to force the arm 38 toward the adjacent casing wall which in turn causes a disengagement of the clutch teeth and 2|.

While an illustrative form of the invention has been described in considerable detail, it will be understood that numerous variations may be made without departing from the general principles and scope of the invention. The terms and expressions used herein have been used as terms of description and not of limitation.

What I claim is:

1. In an ironing machine a driving mechanism comprising a drive shaft, a wheel driven by said shaft, driving clutch elements connected with said wheel on opposite sides thereof, driven clutch elements adapted to be connected with and disconnected from said driving clutch elements, and means including a member displaced radially away from the axial center of rotation of said wheel extending through said wheel and operated by one of said driven clutch elements for controlling the engagement and disengagement of the other of said driven clutch elements. I 2. In an ironing machine a driving mechanism comprising a drive shaft, a wheel driven by said shaft, driving clutch elements connected with said wheel on opposite sides thereof, driven clutch elements adapted to be connected with and disconnected from said driving clutch elements, and means including a member displaced radially away from the axial center of rotation of said wheel, said member being slidable axially through said wheel and operated by one of said driven clutch elements for controlling the engagement and disengagement of the other of said driven clutch elements.

3. In a machine of the class described a driving mechanism comprising a power-operated wheel, a shaft for supporting said wheel, driving clutch means connected with said wheel on opposite sides thereof, driven clutch means adapted to be connected with and disconnected from said driving clutch means, and a member slidably mounted in said shaft and adapted to be operated by one of said driven clutch means for controlling the engagement and disengagement of the other of said driven clutch means.

4. In a machine of the class described a driving mechanism comprising a power-operated wheel, a shaft for supporting said wheel, driving clutch means connected with said wheel on opposite sides thereof, driven clutch means carried by said shaft on one side of said wheel and ar ranged to be connected with and disconnected from one of said driving clutch means, a member mounted on said shaft on the opposite side of said wheel and arranged to be connected with and disconnected from the other of said driving clutch means, an element slidably mounted in said shaft and extending through said wheel, and cam means associated with said member for operating said element to control the engagement and disengagement of said driven clutch means.

5. In a machine of the class described a driving mechanism comprising a power-operated wheel, a shaft for supporting said wheel, driving clutch means connected with said wheel on opposite sides thereof, driven clutch means carried by said shaft on one side of said wheel and arranged to be connected with and disconnected from one of said driving clutch means, a member mounted on said shaft on the opposite side of said wheel and arranged to be connected with and disconnected from the other of said driving clutch means, manual means for causing the connection of said member with said clutch means, means for automatically causing the disconnection of said member from said clutch means after a predetermined revolution of said member, an element slidably mounted in said shaft and extending through said wheel, and cam means associated with said member for operating said element to control the engagement and disengagement of said driven clutch means.

6. In a machine of the class described a roller adapted to be rotated, a shoe, means for shifting said shoe relative to said roller to engage and disengage the same, a rotary driving member, a shaft for supporting said member, a clutch member on said shaft slidable into and out of engagement with said driving member, conneccentric to said shoe-shifting means, an element extending through said driving member and engaging said clutch member to slide the same, and means associated with said eccentric for operating said element.

7. In a machine of the class described a roller adapted to be rotated, a shoe, means for shifting said shoe relative to said roller to engage and disengage the same, a rotary driving member, a shaft for supporting said member, a clutch member on said shaft slidable into and out of engagement with said driving member, connections from said clutch member to said roller, an eccentric carried by said shaft, half-revolution clutch means for connecting said eccentric with said driving member, connections from said eccentric to said shoe-shifting means, and a key slidably mounted in said shaft and extending through said driving member, one end of said key engaging said clutch member and the other end engaging a cam surface on said eccentric, the construction being such that said key is operated by said cam surface to operate said clutch member.

8. In a machine of the class described a roller adapted to be rotated, a shoe, means for shifting said shoe relative to said roller to engage and disengage the same, a rotary driving member, a shaft for supporting said member, clutch means on one side of said member, a clutch member on said shaft slidable into and out of engagement with said clutch means, a notched clutch disc on the opposite side of said driving member, eccentric means carried by said shaft, a clutch tooth slidable radially on said eccentric means and adapted to engage one of the notches in said clutch disc, manual means for causing said tooth to engage a notch in said disc, means for automatically disengaging said tooth from said notch in said disc upon a.predetermined extent of rotation of said eccentric means, connections from said eccentric means for shifting said shoe, a cam on said eccentric means, and an element extending through said driven member and operated by said cam to shift said clutch member out of engagement with said clutch means when said shoe is shifted in one direction.

9. In apparatus of the class described a roller, a shoe shiftable toward and from said roller, a drive shaft, and connections from said drive shaft for rotating said roller and shifting said shoe which comprise a wheel driven by said shaft, clutch elements carried by said wheel at opposite sides thereof, a member slidable axially of said wheel for engagement with certain of said clutch elements to control the rotation of said roller, 2. member slidable radially of said wheel to engage other of said clutch elements for shifting said shoe, cam means associated with said radially slidable member, and a slidable member extending through said wheel and operated by said cam means for sliding said axially slidable member.

10. In an ironing machine of the type having a rotatable roll, a shoe movable into ironing engagement therewith, and means for shifting said shoe to either of two positions which comprises a rotatable notched disc, means for rotating said disc, a shoe-operating member adjacent said disc, a clutch element carried on said member and .roller, and connections from said member for shifting said shoe toward and from the roller, said connections including a notched disc driven by said member, an eccentric adjacent said disc, an element slidable on said eccentric into and out of engagement with a notch in said disc, a member rockably mounted on said eccentric, a spring for urging said last-mentioned member in one direction, a detent for retaining said member against the action of said spring, and means on said member for engaging said element to slide the same into and out of engagement with one of said notches.

12. In an ironing machine a roller, a shoe, a constantly rotating member for driving said roller, and connections from said member for shifting said shoe toward and from the roller, said connections including a notched disc driven by said member, an eccentric adjacent said disc, an element slidable on said eccentric into and out of engagement with a notch in said disc, a member rockably mounted on said eccentric, a spring for urging said last-mentioned member in one direction, said member having a pair of arms, a detent adapted to engage one of said arms to retain said member against the action of said spring, manual means for removing said detent and enabling said spring to rock said member, the construction being such that the other of said arms then engages said detent and said member is rocked relative to said eccentric against the action of said spring, and means on said rockably mounted member for camming said element into and out of engagement with a notch in said disc.

13. In an ironing machine of the type having a rotatable roll, a shoe movable into ironing engagement therewith, and means for shifting said shoe to either of two positions which comprises a rotatable notched disc, means for rotating said disc, a shoe-operating member adjacent said disc, a clutch element carried on said member and slidable radially of said member by pure translational movement only into and out of engagement with the notches in said disc, friction means forretaining said clutchelement in any position to which it may beshifted, and a rotary member for positively sliding said clutch element both into and out of engagement with said notches.

.14. In an ironing machine of the type having a rotatable roll, a shoe movable into ironing engagement therewith, and means for shifting said shoe to either of two positions which comprises a rotatable notched disc, means for rotating said disc, a shoe-operating member adjacent said disc,

a clutch element carried on said member and slidable radially of said member by pure translational movement only into and out of engagement with the notches in said disc, and a rotary member for positively sliding :said clutch element both into and out of engagement with said notches, theinitial portion of the movement of said rotary :member :in each direction being idle.

LUTHER RINGER. 

